Spartacus Star Andy Whitfield Dies at 39

After a long battle with Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, Spartacus: Blood and Sand star Andy Whitfield has tragically passed away at the age of 39.

Whitfield got his start on Australian TV, and became a bona fide sensation stateside with his portrayal of the title role in Spartacus. Sadly, he was forced to take a leave of absence from the show after just one season when he was diagnosed with cancer.

Chris Albrecht, the president of Starz (Spartacus‘ channel) said: “We are deeply saddened by the loss of our dear friend and colleague, Andy Whitfield. We were fortunate to have worked with Andy in ‘Spartacus’ and came to know that the man who played a champion on-screen was also a champion in his own life.”